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May. 24th, 2016 09:10 pmBehind the scenes, there was a meeting going on.
Mr Irons liked rules, and order. So did Miss Havisham, who was taking year four next year. So it amused the other teachers that the young man and the elderly lady immediately started planning how to transition some of the more challenging kids in year three to year four.
Miss Watts, the current year four teacher going on maternity leave, came into one of their initial staff room meetings.
"We need to talk about Peter." she says, sitting down opposite the Strictest Teachers in the School.
"Peter in the current year four?" Mr Irons asks. "Is he still struggling?"
"Yes." Miss Watts sighs. "His attendance is terrible, his homework is non-existent, he doesn't do any practice for his spelling tests or tables. He's difficult to engage in class. He's not an unintelligent child, and I'm running out of ideas to motivate him."
"I daresay Mr Irons has diagnosed him with something." Miss Havisham says drily.
"Actually no." Mr Irons says. "I have assessed him for dyslexia and dyspraxia, of which he has no evidence of either. He's able to engage just fine with some activities and he's not disruptive, he shows no signs of ADHD or autism that I've seen. I think it's problems at home."
"He's certainly taken the divorce very hard." Miss Watts says. "He's now missed so much school that he can't follow half the class even when he is engaging."
They sit in contemplation for a moment.
"When's his birthday?" Mr Irons asks, in his quiet voice.
"Mid July." Miss Watts says.
"You think he needs to repeat year 4?" Miss Havisham asks.
"I hate to say it, but yes." Miss Watts says. Mr Irons nods in agreement.
"Peter's parents are fighting an intense custody battle. He spends half the week at each house, he's gained a new stepsibling and stepparent at both houses. I feel sorry for Peter, but he can't carry on how he is."
"I'll take him on." Miss Havisham nods. "If his parents can't get him motivated, we'll have to arm him with some organisational skills of his own. Clear it with the head, and I'll speak to Peter and his parents nearer the time."
Miss Watts, looking troubled, leaves them to it. Mr Irons turns back to his list of students.
"You're going to have some challenges with the current year 3 kids." he says. "Along with three new students."
"You're not about to tell me that your whole class has special educational needs are you?" Miss Havisham asks.
Mr Irons laughs. "No. You already know Alexander - Fry, he's been here many years. He benefits from knowing where he will be sitting but he can now cope with moving around the class with a bit of warning. He's learning to cope with change and he's getting on better with the other kids. He has very few meltdowns these days but it's best to let him take himself out the room if he is on the boil, which he demonstrates by rocking or flapping his hands. He's very sensitive to touch and some very bright colours and smells. Sometimes I let him take his work into the resources room if the class is loud.
He's steamed ahead with maths since his parents let him study for the competition and he's now performing around age 11-12 ability. He's very self-motivated but you may need to acquire some more books. He also reads far ahead of his class, but his comprehension is poor. He struggles with abstract concepts and imagination.
"The other is Bethany, who I am positive has a mild form of ADHD, but the parents won't hear of it, they don't believe in it."
"Then we have something in common." Miss Havisham. "Very over-diagnosed."
"Well, you're entitled to your opinion, but she struggles to stay on task. She works best when she's not sat with friends and when she's sat at the front or in the resources room with few distractions - not with Fry though, they don't get on. She's very impulsive, and you need to be careful if you take her out on a trip as she tends to bolt. She nearly got hit by a car on our last trip."
"I'll keep an eye on her." Miss Havisham says. "Label or not. What about the other one, Bradley?"
"Bradley has cerebral palsy, but he doesn't have any special educational needs." Mr Irons says. "He won't like it if anyone implies he has either. He's actually very bright. He's supposed to be out that wheelchair at least twenty minutes a day."
"And the child who eats grass?"
"Thomas? No, he's more of a rogue." Mr Irons says. "He doesn't wear his reading glasses though, which doesn't help."
Miss Havisham smiles.
"You worry too much, Jim. I've been teaching over forty years, none of these kids will be a problem."
----------
"Have you seen the letter?!" Tommy asks, charging over to Fry and Noah at the end of the day. "Miss Havisham is going to be hard core."
Fry looks at the letter.
'Dear Parent/Guardian,
As your child may have informed you, I will be taking them for year 4 next year.
I teach traditional skills and as such your child will not be using computers in my classes. At eight years old, your child knows more about computers than I ever will. My class focuses specifically on:
- Organisational skills
- Research skills
- Mental maths
- Handwriting and spelling
- Confidence-building
Your child will be expected to hand-write all homework unless they have a doctor's note. They can of course use the internet at home, but if they use a bad website they will be expected to do the work again!
Mobile phones, tablets and calculators are not permitted in my class and must be handed in.
Your child will continue learning computer science in Year 5 and 6. If you have any concerns with the syllabus, I will be happy to discuss it with you before the end of this term.
Regards
Miss Julie Havisham.'
"No computers all year?!" Fry asks. "How is that even possible?"
"I bet Miss Havisham started teaching before they were invented." Noah says. "It doesn't sound that bad. When I was in Africa we didn't have any computers."
"Yeah, but you're, like... er... weird." Tommy says. Noah, with his usual good humour, laughs.
"Mr Irons said it will be okay." Fry says. He hopes his teacher is right.
Mr Irons liked rules, and order. So did Miss Havisham, who was taking year four next year. So it amused the other teachers that the young man and the elderly lady immediately started planning how to transition some of the more challenging kids in year three to year four.
Miss Watts, the current year four teacher going on maternity leave, came into one of their initial staff room meetings.
"We need to talk about Peter." she says, sitting down opposite the Strictest Teachers in the School.
"Peter in the current year four?" Mr Irons asks. "Is he still struggling?"
"Yes." Miss Watts sighs. "His attendance is terrible, his homework is non-existent, he doesn't do any practice for his spelling tests or tables. He's difficult to engage in class. He's not an unintelligent child, and I'm running out of ideas to motivate him."
"I daresay Mr Irons has diagnosed him with something." Miss Havisham says drily.
"Actually no." Mr Irons says. "I have assessed him for dyslexia and dyspraxia, of which he has no evidence of either. He's able to engage just fine with some activities and he's not disruptive, he shows no signs of ADHD or autism that I've seen. I think it's problems at home."
"He's certainly taken the divorce very hard." Miss Watts says. "He's now missed so much school that he can't follow half the class even when he is engaging."
They sit in contemplation for a moment.
"When's his birthday?" Mr Irons asks, in his quiet voice.
"Mid July." Miss Watts says.
"You think he needs to repeat year 4?" Miss Havisham asks.
"I hate to say it, but yes." Miss Watts says. Mr Irons nods in agreement.
"Peter's parents are fighting an intense custody battle. He spends half the week at each house, he's gained a new stepsibling and stepparent at both houses. I feel sorry for Peter, but he can't carry on how he is."
"I'll take him on." Miss Havisham nods. "If his parents can't get him motivated, we'll have to arm him with some organisational skills of his own. Clear it with the head, and I'll speak to Peter and his parents nearer the time."
Miss Watts, looking troubled, leaves them to it. Mr Irons turns back to his list of students.
"You're going to have some challenges with the current year 3 kids." he says. "Along with three new students."
"You're not about to tell me that your whole class has special educational needs are you?" Miss Havisham asks.
Mr Irons laughs. "No. You already know Alexander - Fry, he's been here many years. He benefits from knowing where he will be sitting but he can now cope with moving around the class with a bit of warning. He's learning to cope with change and he's getting on better with the other kids. He has very few meltdowns these days but it's best to let him take himself out the room if he is on the boil, which he demonstrates by rocking or flapping his hands. He's very sensitive to touch and some very bright colours and smells. Sometimes I let him take his work into the resources room if the class is loud.
He's steamed ahead with maths since his parents let him study for the competition and he's now performing around age 11-12 ability. He's very self-motivated but you may need to acquire some more books. He also reads far ahead of his class, but his comprehension is poor. He struggles with abstract concepts and imagination.
"The other is Bethany, who I am positive has a mild form of ADHD, but the parents won't hear of it, they don't believe in it."
"Then we have something in common." Miss Havisham. "Very over-diagnosed."
"Well, you're entitled to your opinion, but she struggles to stay on task. She works best when she's not sat with friends and when she's sat at the front or in the resources room with few distractions - not with Fry though, they don't get on. She's very impulsive, and you need to be careful if you take her out on a trip as she tends to bolt. She nearly got hit by a car on our last trip."
"I'll keep an eye on her." Miss Havisham says. "Label or not. What about the other one, Bradley?"
"Bradley has cerebral palsy, but he doesn't have any special educational needs." Mr Irons says. "He won't like it if anyone implies he has either. He's actually very bright. He's supposed to be out that wheelchair at least twenty minutes a day."
"And the child who eats grass?"
"Thomas? No, he's more of a rogue." Mr Irons says. "He doesn't wear his reading glasses though, which doesn't help."
Miss Havisham smiles.
"You worry too much, Jim. I've been teaching over forty years, none of these kids will be a problem."
----------
"Have you seen the letter?!" Tommy asks, charging over to Fry and Noah at the end of the day. "Miss Havisham is going to be hard core."
Fry looks at the letter.
'Dear Parent/Guardian,
As your child may have informed you, I will be taking them for year 4 next year.
I teach traditional skills and as such your child will not be using computers in my classes. At eight years old, your child knows more about computers than I ever will. My class focuses specifically on:
- Organisational skills
- Research skills
- Mental maths
- Handwriting and spelling
- Confidence-building
Your child will be expected to hand-write all homework unless they have a doctor's note. They can of course use the internet at home, but if they use a bad website they will be expected to do the work again!
Mobile phones, tablets and calculators are not permitted in my class and must be handed in.
Your child will continue learning computer science in Year 5 and 6. If you have any concerns with the syllabus, I will be happy to discuss it with you before the end of this term.
Regards
Miss Julie Havisham.'
"No computers all year?!" Fry asks. "How is that even possible?"
"I bet Miss Havisham started teaching before they were invented." Noah says. "It doesn't sound that bad. When I was in Africa we didn't have any computers."
"Yeah, but you're, like... er... weird." Tommy says. Noah, with his usual good humour, laughs.
"Mr Irons said it will be okay." Fry says. He hopes his teacher is right.
